All Forum Posts by: Rehj Hoeffner

Wow!  I have 7 units, 6 pay before or on the first every single month like clockwork. I have 1 tenant whose circumstances changed after they rented, who have never paid more than 20 days late. Usually she pays before the 10 day late fee kicks in...Like today. I don't feel I should screw her to the wall by evicting her or whipping on her every single time she's a few days late.

I asked for solutions to getting renters to stop calling about every little thing.  I didn't ask about my renting expertise or my style or how much I rent for or sucking at being a PM.  I have friends who ask me to manage their property all the time when they see my collection rate. I've NEVER EVER had to evict anyone. And there simply is no reason to evict these renters. I don't feel it was a mistake to rent to them in any way. Every time I've been in that house, it has been neat as a pin. They run a bakery, and that kitchen is always clean and orderly. They water the yard as required at their expense and are actually a nice couple.  

I just needed some suggested strategies to deal with her being so needy or to reset my relationship with her. I don't get why everyone goes immediately to eviction. That seems pretty harsh to me and utterly ridiculous when she's never been more than 20 days late.. And that was just 1 time. She's usually 5 to 12 days late sometimes, not even every month.  Why in the holy hell would you evict them?  I think they've paid late charges 3 times!  I'm not even really bothered by the late rent.  I'm more bothered by her constant NEED for repairs or attention. Probably even more so, because each text starts out... "Hey hey hey, we need"... Just Jack's my jaw🤣

Honestly, I can't, in my wildest imagination, any better group of tenants than I have.. Other than this one problem child. I even have the previous District Attorney living in one of my units!  I'm guessing you think he wouldn't be a quality tenant?!?!?  I'm about to decide every single one of you suggesting I evict them have had more than your fair share of deadbeat tenants and trying to berrate me as being a bad or inept PM is laughable, when I have ppl begging me to manage their properties for them, citing my ability to find reliable tenants. Again, these kids pay, they just don't ever start the payment on or before the first as I would like them to do. 

In hindsight, I wished I had just read some other posts for suggestions and ideas on how to handle her. I've honestly gotten better suggestions from other posts than from the gaggle posting here, telling me what a horrible PM I must be and should kick these kids to the curb...I don't know whether to laugh my *** off at the sheer unprofessional responses or delete my account here and never load this page again. 

Please!  I'm good. I have some workable solutions and ideas on how to address this tenant going forward. 

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR......... OPINIONS.

Oh my!  You have everything all mixed up. I have a feeling you're picking and choosing which posts to read.  I bought the house empty. We remodeled it completely. We took the bathrooms and kitchen down to the studs. We are experienced DIYers so we did all the work ourselves as if we were going to live there. My husband hates to play a plumber, so I did hire the new plumbing done. I listed it for rent and they were the second ppl to look at it and rented it on the spot. I ran their background and credit and everything looked very good. We had talked at the house for over an hour, visiting and getting to know each other. They were great... Or so I thought.  They aren't bad, they are just problem creators. I honestly don't know how everything that seems to go wrong, is only at their house. 

They have never been more than 20 days late. I would never let anyone go for 5 months. Before we took over the houses, the previous PM did let a tenant go 5 months.  I had to work with them to get them caught up and they were never been late again, but have now moved. But again, that was NOT this couple. That was a different tenant and I had no say about them. These houses all got dumped in my lap, being a landlord was never something I intended to do!

I got rent today and sent her a text about the AC and that she would be responsible if she didn't stop running the humidifier.  

Sorry you got so confused. I'm appalled that everyone is so quick to evict!  They pay, they just are slow pay. I never have to dun them or send reminders, I just don't do that. I really have no need, she KNOWS she owes rent. Why belittle her, if she doesn't have the money, she simply can't pay. 

Quote from @Ozzy Sirimsi:

I would just get rid of them.

Plain and simple. Start filing eviction on no payment,if that does not work

read your lease and find something to say they broke the lease.

Goodness! Do you actually treat your tenants this way???  

I got the rent payment today, I see no reason to do anything. I just wanted to reset my relationship with her, not kick her out!

Quote from @Alecia Loveless:

@Rehj Hoeffner I inherited a tenant who has become my “problem” tenant. She thinks nothing of starting a text thread on 3 days of the week and calling me when I don’t respond immediately. If the slightest situation at the building annoys her she perseverances over it for several days or up to a week sometimes.

I have finally given her instructions that she is only allowed to speak with my general contractor or myself, not to any of the other contractors, and the next issue that arises that is not a real problem I am going to tell her politely that it just doesn’t seem like she’s happy with me as the owner and perhaps she should think about moving somewhere else.

If your tenants issues were legitimate maintenance issues then perhaps the only real problem you have is the late rent and the air conditioner issue. I’ve been given a couple of sob stories for why rent hasn’t been paid and one tenant got their act together when I worked with him and is now a model tenant and another simply skipped a month and now 7 months later has made 1 $50 payment towards the back rent and I have sent them an ultimatum and a repayment schedule and if they don’t meet it I’m starting eviction proceedings. If she legitimately lied about having children to try to get out of paying rent that’s pretty low.

I'm so sorry, I think your renter is worse than mine!  Really, my renter isn't that bad. She's young and a bit neurotic, and I believe she thinks I'm here to serve her, and that I owe her.

I've gotten some really good ideas and suggestions from this board on how to reset my rental relationship with her. I'm excited to try them out.  She has overstepped a couple of times, but I've put her in her place on those and she backs off immediately, much like you told yours who she could and could not speak to!

The responses here, while most haven't addressed the actual issue, have convinced me not to renew her lease!

Much luck to you with yours!  May they both find other pastime activities than irritating their landlords!!!!😁

Quote from @Alex Kreeger:

Ask for advice. Then proceed to combat every simple piece of advice given. SMH. 

You mean how l thanked those that gave the advice I actually asked for, but politely declined the unsolicited advice?

🤔

Quote from @Colleen F.:

@Rehj Hoeffner You completely remodeled the unit 3 years ago.  The things you didn't do are now breaking.  -The disposal, garage ceiling, carpenter ants and washer are on you.  The clogged sink drain and probably AC is on them.  It happens.

What is really bothering you is late rent, a bakery business, and communication from the tenant. Start delivering pay or quit notices and filing for eviction.  There are some tenants worth losing. 

Actually, the disposal was brand new, I'm not sure how the plumber didn't install it properly... It was an easy fix, but you know, it just adds to the list. 

The ceiling in the garage was fine. We know they slightly sag from experience, but they were still new renters and we were trying to head off problems. I had a contractor I wanted to help out with some work, so I gave him that job. Right place, right time sort of thing.

I'm not sure how to anticipate carpenter ants. They march up and down this street like a patrol. That's absurd to think I didn't prepare properly for them. 

The washer and dryer are still a mystery to me. I used them the entire time we were remodeling and they worked like a charm. In fact, they were mine at one time and I kept thinking, why did I get rid of these..they are wonderful! Two weeks into their lease and they go out. You sometimes just have to wonder what in the hell do these ppl do to these appliances! 🤣 At the time, I was happy to replace them...I would handle that differently now... Depending on the price to repair. For some reason repairing appliances has become VERY expensive in this area ($700 was the estimate.. With no warranty) and there are only a few ppl doing it, so the wait times are several weeks to just get them looked at. I've had terrible luck on Craigslist and Facebook, so I've sworn them off as well.  If I had it to do over, I'd move the ones from another unit to her and buy the other good tenants new ones!!

The first year went ok I guess. Barely heard from them the second year, but last year, since the baby/babies or whatever is going on down there, has just been pinching my ***.  After reading other posts, I have some new ideas on how to reset the relationship, so I'm excited to try these out on her.  I will not be evicting her. They always pay and are never more than 20 days late. No reason to be Aholes to them. They are just trying to make a life for themselves and a few days late here and there is not the end of the world. 

I won't be renewing their lease.

Quote from @Richard F.:

Quote from @Rehj Hoeffner:

I would never recommend a 4 year, not even a 2 year lease moving forward.  

Wow - no one likes long leases!  Do you realize the chances of anyone staying that long?  Almost nil. 

Aloha,

That is purely rubbish. I've been managing over 120 units for at least the past 20 years, and my AVERAGE turnover has been over three years the entire time. I currently have Tenants that I placed over 10 years ago. In all of those years, I have only offered a multi-year term twice...and both times were at the insistence of the property Owner.

Offer a fully functional, safe, secure, clean, and relatively attractive property at a fair price, with reasonable terms, and most importantly, properly screen all applicants. Address service calls promptly and with minimum contact. Moving is a PITA, no one "chooses" to do so if they are reasonably satisfied and stable. Sure, a job or other life change can create a reason to move, nothing can be done about that.

Each to his own. I love long leases. Inflation has pushed me to a 1 year lease, but if it is ever under control, I'll most certainly go back to long leases. They work VERY VERY well for me.

I asked for advice on how to deal with a renter who has started taking advantage of my goodwill..... Not about the length of leases.  While I appreciate your well intended advice, I do hope you listen to your renters and respond more appropriately to them than you have here.  

Oh my goodness...I hope your a better business man than you are at giving advice. 

These houses WERE managed by a PM before we took them over. They were a mess! One was 5 months late on rent. Two had been empty for 3 months and the electricity had been off and the houses weren't fit to live in!  No thank you to a PM.  No one is going to look out for your properties the way you do. They are all within walking distance, I have my eyes on them daily, I watch the comings and goings. That's a BIG NO to a PM.

I'm not sure what you think was a terrible job. The most she's ever been late was 20 days. Most months I get payment by the 5th.  I'm just not used to that, as all my renters that I've placed, pay before or on the first.  Yes, I misjudged this one, but their circumstances changed drastically from when I first rented to them. The first year, they were on time, only after he quit his job have things gone down hill. You seem to think a PM would have had a crystal ball to see the future and have avoided this. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

There will be no evictions. I don't do that sort of thing and how do you evict when they aren't behind?  It's not even the 10th of the month yet!  My God, I'm glad you were never my landlord!

Three fourths of the townhouses on this street are rentals. I watch every rental that comes available and what they rent for. My houses rent for the most because they are the nicest and I usually rent within 24 hours of listing after an average of 2 showings. The garden home one street over can only rent for $1800, and it's empty right now, and has been for 6 months. My houses are all free and clear, I don't understand how ppl with payments can deal with 6 months of an empty rental. The market is very soft, there are 8 empty rentals on my street right now. I like being very picky about my renters. I like them to stay so the homes aren't taking the wear and tear of moving in and out. I never wanted to be a landlord and therefore the least amount of time devoted to this business the better! I have far better things to do, like play tea party with my granddaughter!

I treat my renters as I would want to be treated. You know, not every endeavor in life must be about screwing ppl to the wall. In that we manage our own properties, it's not about how much money we can squeeze from every individual that we rent to. Sometimes, late in life, you just realize how important it is to be a good person and community member.

We treat our tenants exceptionally well, and we're fine with the amount we make. I will not be renewing this couples lease and mostly my question was how do I deal with someone who is taking advantage of my goodwill. The question wasn't, how can I be a cutthroat landlord. It's passive income and I want to be a passive participant!

Thank you for your analysis, but I am only interested in dealing with my problem renter at this time. 

To be honest, I did not know she was even pregnant.  My husband went to view the "sagging" ceiling in the garage and said she didn't look pregnant at all.  That's when we found out about the in home "bakery" and that her husband had quit his job to help her - so no real income in that family any more.  We make it a point NOT to socialize with our tenants.  We live in a unit at the end of the street and the other 7 units are strung up and down the street at different points, with rear entry garages.  It's relatively easy to ignore everyone!  I didn't know about the twins until she texted 20 days into that month to tell me they were having problems getting the money together for the rent because....the twins and one still in the NICU and the other passed away.  I felt absolutely terrible.  But I was also irritated that she hadn't let me know up front, as I had asked her and asked her to do.  I waived the late fee and told her to pay as she could, but didn't wave that month's rent as I would have if she had contacted me on day 1.  I'm not heartless but these 2 have given me a run for my money!  During covid I waved several months of rent for several tenants when they couldn't work.  I truly am not a heartless landlord.

I'll tell you what - you've made me question if there is any baby at all!  When I went down to check the oven that the knob somehow mysteriously came off of, I saw no baby, heard no baby and didn't even see evidence there was a baby in that house!

I'm in agreement - they will get a notice 60 days in advance that we will not be renewing their lease.  And I will take your advice about letting them know the issue with running the humidifier and the A/C and being responsible for further repairs.

Thank you for opening my eyes even further!